Dearborn Players Guild Opens Season With 'The Fantasticks'

Submitted by Sue Suchyta

The record-breaking and award-winning off-Broadway musical, The Fantasticks opens a three-week run beginning Sept. 13 at the Players Guild of Dearborn.

The show, with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones, launches the Guild’s 86th season and runs Sept. 13-29, with 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday shows and 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinees.

Directed and choreographed by Paul Bruce of Dearborn, the eight-person cast features residents Michael Bollman as Matt, Brian Townsend as Bellomy, Alex Gojkov as the mime and Steve Gautreau as Mortimer.

Also performing are Allen Park residents Mike Moseley as El Gallo and Tom Sparrow as Henry, Kimberly Paige Elliott of Canton Township as Luisa and Jeff Flannery of Southgate as Hucklebee.

The Fantasticks focuses on two neighboring teens, Luisa and Matt, who have fallen in love but are hiding the fact from their feuding fathers. However, the fathers are really friends who have hatched a plot – with the help of an acting troupe – to encourage the two teens to fall in love. However, when the couple discovers their fathers’ plans, their romance may not survive.

Bruce said that even if patrons have seen the show before, he encourages them to see the Guild’s version because they have re-imagined the story.

“We’ve given it a very fresh face. I promise that if you come to see this, you will be pleasantly surprised by the special tricks we’ve added to it to make it a little more wonderful,” Bruce said.

Audience members will also be among the first to enjoy wider, newly installed seats in the Guild’s theater.

“Audiences that come to our opening night or any of the performances this opening show are going to be doubly thrilled: they get a wonderful show and they get the unveiling of our gorgeous new facility,” Bruce said.

Kimberly Elliott of Canton Township, who plays Luisa, said the show is a wonderful production and a fun-filled evening, and even those who have seen the show before will enjoy the twists that director Bruce has added to the classic show.

She added that it is relaxing to have her real-life boyfriend, Michael Bollman of Dearborn, play Matt, her love interest in the play.

“You can really feel that’s coming from your heart instead of a place where you’re acting,” she said. “And even in the parts where we get in a little tiff with each other it is fun.”

Bollman said that playing opposite his real-life girlfriend is nice because he does not have to fake any of the passion.

“Kimberly and I have been through our highs and lows so we really can relate to and really pour our hearts and souls into these two characters,” he said.

Bollman said he is looking forward to the show's opening night.

“If you think about it, you get two shows in one,” Bollman said. “The first half is a little musical comedy, and then the second half is a little more musical drama. It’s a fun, just good experience all around.”

The theater is located at 21730 Madison St. in Dearborn. For tickets or more information, call 313-561-TKTS or visit www.playersguildofdearborn.org.